Faucet with internal thermostatic tempering device

ABSTRACT

A faucet includes a spout having a thermostatic tempering device installed therein. The thermostatic tempering device includes a temperature-sensing element that can include a wax element.

The present invention relates to faucets in general and particularly tofaucets having internal valves. More particularly, the invention relatesto faucets having internal thermostatic tempering devices.

BACKGROUND

In a conventional faucet, a user mixes hot and cold water to control thetemperature of water supplied to a faucet by manipulating water controlvalves. Unfortunately, a small child can inadvertently supply too muchhot water to the faucet which can scald the child. In addition, it ispossible for the hot or cold water sources to fail, thereby mixing toomuch hot water or too little cold water and scalding the user.

Thermostatic tempering devices that restrict the temperature of a flowof water to a preset maximum are known. It is also known to add thesevalves in the flow between the hot and cold water valves and the faucet.However, such a setup requires the user to install an additionalcomponent in the plumbing system which is inconvenient. Moreover, thetypical installation requires the installer to install the thermostatictempering devices below the sink, which is typically a crampedworkspace.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes these and other shortcomings ofconventional thermostatic tempering device installations by providing afaucet with an internal thermostatic tempering device. Hence, aninstaller need only install a faucet in a conventional manner makingstandard connections to provide the additional protection of athermostatic tempering device. When upgrading to a thermostatic valve,the installer need not get below the sink, since the thermostatic valveis in the faucet and above the sink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a two-handle faucet showing an internalthermostatic tempering device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a single-handle faucet showing an internalthermostatic tempering device and a flow control valve.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a channel member for use with theinvention.

FIG. 7 is a section view taken along lines 7-7 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the channel member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A faucet 10 includes a mixing area in an internal cavity 12, an outlet14 in fluid communication with the cavity 12 and hot and cold watervalves 16, 18 that connect hot and cold water sources 20, 22 with thecavity 12 by conduits 26, 28. A thermostatic tempering device 30 isdisposed in the cavity 12 and receives hot and cold water inputs fromconduits 26, 28, respectively. Thermostatic tempering device 30 includesan outlet 32 coupled to the faucet outlet 14.

Thermostatic tempering device 30 is preset at the factory to provide amaximum outlet temperature, regardless of the temperature of the hotwater source 20, even in the event of a failure in either the hot orcold water supply systems.

FIG. 2 represents a single control faucet 50 having a mixing area 52with a cartridge valve 54 and a thermostatic tempering device 56disposed in the cavity 52. Hot and cold water conduits 58, 60 supply hotand cold water to the cartridge valve 54, which supplies an outlet flowof water to the thermostatic tempering device 56. The cartridge valve 54controls the volume and temperature of the water and the thermostatictempering device 56 ensures that the selected water temperature does notexceed a predetermined maximum temperature. Alternatively, the cartridgevalve 54 can control the amount of hot and cold water passing throughthe cartridge valve 54.

Alternatively, it is possible to reverse the positions of the cartridgevalve 54 and thermostatic tempering device 56 so that the thermostatictempering device 56 provides water to the cartridge valve 54 at themaximum predetermined temperature. In this case, the cartridge valve 54would select the volume of water. Either arrangement ensures that thewater at the faucet outlet is tempered.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a thermostatic temperingdevice 100 disposed in a faucet 102. The faucet 102 includes a spout 104coupled to an underbody 106 that includes a pair of end bodies 108, 110and a pair of conduits 112, 114 connecting the end bodies 108, 110 tothe spout 104. Conventional flow control valves, not shown, are disposedin the end bodies 108, 110 in a conventional manner to control the flowof hot and cold water to the faucet 102. The thermostatic temperingdevice 100 is located in the underbody 106 at the mixing point of thefaucet 102.

The thermostatic tempering device 100 includes a temperature sensingelement 116 and a seal 118. The thermostatic tempering device 100 isdisposed in the down stream mixed water path so that as the temperaturerises, the temperature sensing element 116 activates the seal 118 toreduce or completely close off the amount of hot water entering thespout 104. If the temperature-sensing element 116 is activated, the usercan reset it quickly by turning down the hot water or by increasing thecold water at the valves. Alternatively, the thermostatic temperingdevice 100 can include a reset activator 120 that can also act as amanual temperature adjuster.

FIG. 4 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of the invention. Thefaucet 202 includes a spout 204 coupled to an underbody 206 thatincludes a pair of end bodies 208, 210 and a pair of conduits 212, 214connecting the end bodies 208, 210 to the spout 204. The thermostatictempering device 200 is located in the underbody 206 at the mixing pointof the faucet 202.

The underbody 206 differs from the underbody 106 in that it includes aseparate channel 215 connecting the thermostatic tempering device 200 tothe cold water end body 210 at a point below the valve. Thus, cold wateris supplied to the thermostatic tempering device 100 regardless of theposition of the cold water control valve. A manual adjustment device 216allows the user to set a maximum temperature by adjusting the amount ofcold water added to the mixed water during activation of the device.

The thermostatic tempering device 200 includes a temperature-sensingelement 216. In one embodiment, the temperature-sensing element 216 canbe a wax thermostatic element.

Wax thermostatic elements permit the transforming of thermal energy intomechanical energy by tapping into the large thermal expansion of waxeswhen they pass from the solid to the liquid state.

Typically, the wax thermostatic element includes a copper cup containingwax. In some cases, copper flakes are added to the wax to equalize heatdistribution throughout the cup and act as filler. A flat rubberdiaphragm is placed on the upper part of the cup and a brass guidecloses the zone containing the wax. The diaphragm assures that the zonecontaining the wax is leak tight. The brass guide includes a centralbore to receive a piston. As the wax increases in volume with increasingtemperature, it distorts the diaphragm, which pushes upwards to urge thepiston out of the element. The piston can return to its initial positionunder the action of a return spring.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the wax thermostatic element includes acontainer 222, a lower seal 217, and an upper seal 218, all of which aredisposed on a shaft 219. As the wax expands with increasing temperature,the thermostatic tempering device 200 moves up the shaft, moving thelower seal 217 and opening the separate channel 215 to admit additionalcold water to moderate the temperature of the mixed water. In theextreme, where the additional cold water is insufficient to fullymoderate the temperature of the mixed water, the movement of thethermostatic tempering device 200 urges the seal 218 to close off thewater flow to the spout 204.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention. The faucet302 includes a spout 304 coupled to an underbody 306 that includes apair of end bodies 308, 310 and a pair of conduits 312, 314 connectingthe end bodies 308, 310 to the spout 304. The thermostatic temperingdevice 300 is located in the underbody 306 at the mixing point of thefaucet 302.

The thermostatic tempering device 300 includes temperature-sensingelement 311, a piston 312, and a seal 316. The piston 312 and seal 316are disposed in a channel member 317 that defines the water path fromthe mixing area of the faucet to the spout 304. The temperature sensingelement 311 is positioned adjacent an internal abutment member 319formed in the spout 304, so that expansion of the temperature sensingelement 311 with increasing temperature urges the piston 312 downwardlyto urge the seal 316 against valve seat 318. As the seal 316 seats inthe channel member 317, it cuts off the flow of hot water to the spout304.

The channel member 317 is further illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 and includesa pair of arcuate longitudinal passages 320 that extend along the entirelength of the channel member 317. It also includes a cold water inlet324 on the right side of the channel member 317, as viewed in FIGS. 5-8.The cold water flows from the cold water inlet 324 to the longitudinalpassages 320 and out the top of the channel member 317 as illustrated byarrows 326. The channel member 317 further includes a hot water inlet328 on the left side of the channel member 317. The hot water flows intothe hot water inlet 328 and down past the seat 318 to curl back up andinto the longitudinal passages 320 as illustrated by arrows 330. Sincethe hot water must flow through the seat 318 to reach the longitudinalpassages 310, movement of the seal 316 against the seat 318 shuts offthe flow of hot water to the spout 304.

The above-described embodiments, of course, are not to be construed aslimiting the breadth of the present invention. For example, theillustrated embodiments are directed to two-handle faucets, while theinvention applies equally to single control faucets. In addition, eachillustrated embodiment shows the temperature sensing element movingvertically to shut off the flow of hot water. It would be obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art that a horizontal orientation would alsowork to achieve the desired effect. Other modifications and alternativeconstructions will be apparent which are within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. A faucet comprising: a spout having an internal passage and beingconfigured to be positioned on a supporting surface and coupled to waterconduits that are disposed below the supporting surface; and athermostatic tempering device disposed in the passage above thesupporting surface.
 2. The faucet of claim 1 wherein the thermostatictempering device includes a wax motor.
 3. The faucet of claim 2 whereinthe wax motor includes a piston and a container having a mixture of waxand thermal conductive material disposed in the container, the waxresponding to increased temperature to move the piston.
 4. The faucet ofclaim 1 wherein the thermostatic tempering device includes a resetactivator.
 5. The faucet of claim 1 wherein the thermostatic temperingdevice includes a manual temperature adjuster.
 6. A faucet comprising: aspout with an internal mixing area for mixing hot and cold water; a pairof end bodies configured to receive a control valve, the end bodiesbeing coupled to the internal mixing area by a conduit; a thermostatictempering device disposed in the internal mixing area to limit thetemperature of the mixed water.
 7. The faucet of claim 6 wherein thethermostatic tempering device includes a temperature sensing elementdisposed in the spout to sense the temperature of the mixed water andblock the flow of mixed water to the spout in response to an elevatedtemperature of mixed water.
 8. The faucet of claim 7 wherein thetemperature sensing element includes a wax thermostatic device.
 9. Asingle control faucet comprising: a spout having an internal passage forthe flow of water; a control valve disposed in the internal passage; anda thermostatic tempering device disposed in the internal passage. 10.The faucet of claim 9 wherein the control valve is located upstream ofthe thermostatic tempering device and includes means for controlling thetemperature and volume of water at the thermostatic tempering device.11. The faucet of claim 9 wherein the control valve is located upstreamof the thermostatic tempering device and includes means for controllingthe amount of hot water and cold water at the thermostatic temperingdevice.
 12. A faucet comprising: a spout having a water passage; anunderbody coupled to the spout and having a pair of end bodies and apair of connecting conduits for conveying water from the end bodies tothe spout; a thermostatic tempering device disposed in the underbody forcontrolling the temperature of water conveyed to the spout.
 13. A methodof tempering the temperature of water exiting a faucet comprising thesteps of: providing a faucet having a spout with an internal passage;providing a thermostatic tempering device disposed in the internalpassage; mixing hot and cold water and providing the mixed water to thethermostatic tempering device, the thermostatic tempering devicerestricting the flow of water to the spout in response to an increase inthe water temperature.